TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As most of us have come to terms with not going to the Super Bowl, a few lucky people are getting personal invitations from none other than Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski. In a video message, he surprised two Tampa Bay nurses with tickets to Super Bowl LV on Monday morning.
“Oh hello, Mandy! Hey, Woody! This is champion Rob Gronkowski,” the football star said. “I hope you’re having a good day. I heard you’re a pretty big Bucs fan.”
Not only are they Bucs fans, but Mandy Mueske and Woody Nixon are also health care heroes. They’re both RNs at Moffitt Cancer Center who’ve helped patients fight cancer while also fighting COVID-19.
Gronk caught the pair completely off guard when he said both would get to be inside Raymond James Stadium cheering on the team come Sunday.
“I was more surprised because I thought I wasn’t going and I was bummed about that,” said Mandy Mueske, a Wisconsin native who has officially traded the Green Bay Packers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mueske and Nixon will now join around 7,500 health care workers from across the nation invited by the NFL as a “thank you” for their sacrifice during the pandemic.
“We get to go for free? That’s crazy and really cool,” said Mueske.
Nixon has been wishing nonstop to be in the stands for Super Bowl LV since he heard the league was honoring those on the frontlines with a free pass.
“I was like please, please, and now, this is wonderful. This is absolutely wonderful,” said Nixon.
Fan-favorite Gronk has been doing quite a bit of surprising recently. Last week, two AdventHealth employees also learned they’d be at the big game.
As for Nixon and Mueske, they have their own message for Gronk and the entire Bucs team.
“Way to make history guys. The first time the home team is the actual home team,” said Nixon.
“Let’s get the gold,” added Mueske, “Go Bucs!”
All of the health care workers invited to Super Bowl LV have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.